Australian Birth Stories

You can listen to Rachel share her first birth and postpartum story in episode #51 where she details her daughter Mackenzie’s terminal diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Today she talks about Mackenzie’s Mission and the genetic carrier screening that’s now covered under Medicare for all couples planning a pregnancy. If you are planning to conceive soon, I highly recommend listening to Rachael’s story and request the screening via your GP or Lumi Health. She also talks about her journey to conceiving her two boys, her decision to have an empowering maternal assisted caesarean and the grief and joy, anxiety and hope, love and gratitude of motherhood. Rachael is an incredible woman with a big heart. Her greatest hope is that we are all aware of genetic carrier screening so she has one request: tell everyone about it!  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. --------- Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Kin. If you haven’t heard of Kin already, they’re a revolutionary women’s healthcare brand, devoted to helping you take control of your reproductive health.Whether you’re trying to conceive, already pregnant or going through postpartum, Kin’s got you covered with a range of products that are evidence-based and recommended by dietitians.Like The Essential Protein to help you meet your protein requirements during pregnancy, and The Postnatal Vitamin to replenish nutrients after giving birth, so you can feel like yourself again.Visit Kin today and use the code ABSKIN15 at the checkout for 15% off the entire fertility product range today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Lisa takes us through her two very different labours - her first was posterior and 67 hours long, her second was anterior and very quick. As a women’s health physiotherapist, Lisa knew the positive outcomes associated with MGP so she advocated to get in that programme and whilst her labour was long, it was also very supported. She also talks at length about caring for her swollen and sore perineum after birth and the shock of just how weak her pelvic floor muscles were. Seven months later she was pregnant again (her period hadn’t even returned) and she got straight into the MGP programme again. With her midwife’s guidance she embraced all the techniques, movements and positions to ensure her baby wasn’t posterior and experienced a swift yet intense second birth. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Today's episode is sponsored by Bare Mum. If you’re pregnant, we encourage you to start thinking about your birth recovery now. You need more support in the fourth trimester (the 12 weeks after birth) than you do in pregnancy which can be surprising to many new mothers. It’s for this reason that Bare Mum began and now they offer a beautiful collection of practical and supportive products to assist your postpartum healing.   All new mums need lower back, abdominal and pelvic floor support after birth. Bare Mum’s Postpartum Briefs gently hold you in the first days and weeks, helping you feel confident. Endorsed by the Australian College of Midwives, they offer a unique pocket design so you can insert a warm or cold pack to offer soothing relief and assist with caesarean wound or perineal healing.  Ideal for caesarean and vaginal birth recovery, Bare Mum Postpartum Briefs are soft, stretchy, and supportive, offering you essential post-birth care. They’re a must-have for your hospital bag.  Bare Mum is offering you 15% off storewide with the discount code ABS15See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Maria shares her fraternal twin pregnancy which required her to spend 14 weeks on bedrest. Her pregnancy was considered normal until 20 weeks when a routine scan showed her cervix was shortening, exacerbated by the pressure of excess amniotic fluid. The following day a cervix stitch was inserted and Maria spent the next 10 weeks in hospital. She talks about the power of meditation and the practises she embraced to stay present and positive. Her boys were born at 33 weeks and are now healthy, happy four-year-olds who speak three languages. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Today's episode is brought to you by my online birth education course The Birth Class.Featuring 10 audio lessons with perinatal health specialists, you can listen from the comfort of your home when you’re relaxed and receptive to new information. The Birth Class is a conversation starter between you and your birth partner that informs, encourages and empowers you to journey towards labour with knowledge and confidence.  Learn more here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Sarah shares her experience with two third-degree perineal tears, also known as Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI). The general understanding of birth recovery - even when it comes to perineal trauma - is six weeks yet the reality is much different. For some women it can take two years to heal and strengthen and as Sarah says, we need more conversations about this and ultimately, more health support. If you have experienced an OASI or you know someone who has, this episode will offer comfort and guidance, especially in regards to follow-up care. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Today episode is brought to you by our library of free resources. Download our free pregnancy and labour tips guides on Mastitis, Perineal Massage, Postpartum Fatigue and many more to assist you in the journey towards birth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can listen to Shuana’s first birth in episode 296 where she details her really positive physiological birth under midwifery care. Today she takes us through her unplanned second pregnancy which took her months to embrace considering she’d just returned to work and didn’t feel prepared for two under two. She was allocated the same midwife through the MGP programme and listened to the yoga nidra meditation in The Birth Class everyday of her pregnancy. She woke at 41+5 to mild cramps and later that evening light contractions began which she welcomed with the utmost excitement. A mere two hours later she birthed her baby girl in her loungeroom, her midwife on the phone and four paramedics by her side. Shuana also discusses the new public hospital home birth programme that has just launched on the Central Coast of NSW; a really positive step forward that makes home birth much more accessible.  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Download our many free pregnancy and labour tips guides here Today’s episode is proudly brought to you by Bliss Birth. TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and it's a fantastic pain relief device with no side effects unlike pharmaceuticals. I used the Elle tens in all three of my labours. Ariel from Bliss Birth has been supporting the podcast for years and has offered a discount for you to hire a tens for 8 or 4 weeks and it comes with everything you would need, as well as the option for really fast postage if women are booking at the last minute  You can enjoy 10% off your Tens hire at Bliss Birth use code ABS23 at checkoutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Alex shares his pregnancy and birth journey as a trans man, including his choice to embark on solo parenthood. He sought guidance from an IVF clinic and embarked on a number of tests to ensure his egg quality and reserve were favourable before deciding on a sperm donor. Once pregnant, he opted for MGP care through his local public hospital and was induced at 38 weeks due to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Alex shares the challenge and joy of labour and birth, his choice to access donor milk and his body dysphoria in postpartum.  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Download our many free pregnancy and labour tips guides hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode, Julie shares her journey and all the beautiful lessons she’s learnt along the way. At once ambivalent about motherhood, her first pregnancy ended in miscarriage and proved that she did have a yearning to have a baby. Two failed rounds of IVF followed and then she fell pregnant naturally at 42. The NIPT results showed high risk of Down Syndrome and Julie was advised to terminate the pregnancy. Together with her partner Tom, they opted to continue with the pregnancy and welcomed baby Woody via emergency caesarean. Only fifteen months later she birthed baby Alfie. Julie talks at length about mothering a child with Down Syndrome, the dreaded daycare germs, physical therapy and the precious bond between her two boys.  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Download our many free pregnancy and labour tips guides here Today’s episode is brought to you by iL Tutto. For Black Friday, starting from Tuesday 21st of November at 6pm until Wednesday 29th November, iL Tutto are offering HUGE savings across iltutto.com.au where you’ll find their biggest range of Australian-designed Nursery Chairs and complementary Nursery furniture. Save up to 30% storewide including their range of Cots, Chests, CoZee Breeze Co-Sleeping Bassinets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honour of Perinatal Mental Health Week, Dom shares her experience of perinatal anxiety and depression (PAD) and details her three-month stay in a mother and baby psychiatric unit. At six weeks postpartum her anxiety became debilitating; she was having panic attacks, pulling out her hair and thought her husband and baby would be better off without her. She was admitted to a mother + baby unit in a private hospital and received a range of treatments including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) which affected her short term memory (her mum kept a 300-page journal so she would have a record to fill in her lost memories). Dom has since had a second baby and thanks to realistic expectations, culturally-safe care and professional and family support, she has stayed really well despite being at high-risk of a postpartum mental health disorder.  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Download our many free pregnancy and labour tips guides here Today’s episode is brought to you by Kiwi.co. I must confess I’m not much of a crafty mum but Kiwi Co's panda crate has been the best educational investment for Ottie. Every month we receive a subscription box filled with playful, open-ended activities backed by research and designed especially for naturally curious and creative babies and toddlers. It makes the perfect Christmas gift that keeps giving well beyond the festive season.  I'm a big fan of quality activities that create the opportunity for play-based learning and Kiwi Co delivers hands-on projects that get the whole family involved. Whether you have a brand-new baby or a trailblazing toddler, the Panda Crate is perfect for your little one’s developing brain. Unwrap more than a gift. Discover hands-on fun with KiwiCo. Get your first month FREE on ANY crate line at kiwico.com/birthstories.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Caitlin details her two very different labours - her first was 40 hours long, her second only two hours. She was accepted into an MGP programme and while she did a hypnobirthing course for preparation, she admits she wasn’t prepared for the intensity of labour. Her early labour stage was long and painful because of her baby’s posterior position and she admits she went to hospital too early. After opting for an induction she later requested an epidural which was a really positive experience for it; it allowed her to sleep, relax and dilate to 10cm. In her second pregnancy she embraced all the education and preparation, hired a doula and planned to birth at her small local low–risk hospital. But….her baby had other plans. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. Download our free pregnancy and labour tips guides here Today’s episode of the show is proudly brought to you by Once Upon.I’m not sure about your kids but mine love looking at old photos of themselves. I recently made Ottie a photo book with the help of @onceuponapp It was so quick and easy to make I just selected photos in my phone and the @onceuponapp suggests the layout and offers lots of choice and the click of a button. I’ve ordered an extra copy to gift to the grandparents for Christmas. You can document your memories in a beautiful book today. Enjoy 25% discount at checkout with the code: Sophie25 *This offer is valid until the 11th of December 2023  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Tess shares her two very different breastfeeding experiences. She starts by detailing her traumatic birth experience which ended in a postpartum haemorrhage and left her depleted and anxious. Her baby lost 11 percent of her birthweight so triple-feeding was recommended and after a few challenging weeks, Tess made the decision to feed her baby expressed breastmilk (EBM) which she continued for a year as she navigated the grief and guilt of not being able to latch her baby. In her second pregnancy, she was proactive with her care and support from the start. She opted for private obstetric care with Dr Scott Shemer and booked in with Dr Amber Hart from Maternal and Infant Wellbeing in Melbourne who offers day stays for new mothers (the future of postpartum care is looking bright!). Tess’ second postpartum has been incredibly healing and really proves the benefit of continuity of care right into postpartum, especially for lactation support.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.